The San Francisco calamity by earthquake and fire eBook

The desolate waste straight through the heart of the
city remained a mute witness to the most heroic and
effective work of the whole calamity. Three men
did this, and when their work was over and what stood
of the city rested quietly for the first time, they
departed as modestly as they had come. They were
ordered to save San Francisco, and they obeyed orders,
and Captain MacBride and his two gunners made history
on that dreadful night.

They stayed the march of the conflagration at that
critical point, leaving it no channel to spread except
along the wharf region, in which its final force was
spent. One side of Van Ness Avenue was gone; the
other remained, the fire leaping the broad open space
only feebly in a few places, where it was easily extinguished.

In this connection it is well to put on record an
interesting circumstance. This is that there
is one place within pistol shot of San Francisco that
the earthquake did not touch, that did not lose a chimney
or feel a tremor. That spot is Alcatraz Island.
Despite the fact that the island is covered with brick
buildings, brick forts and brick chimneys, not a brick
was loosened nor a crack made nor a quiver felt.
When the scientist comes to write he will have his
hands full explaining why Alcatraz did not have any
physical knowledge of the event. It was as if
New York were to be shaken to its foundation, and Governor’s
Island, quietly pursuing its military routine, should
escape without a qualm.

CHAPTER IV.

The Reign of Destruction and Devastation

Rarely, in the whole history of mankind, has a great
city been overwhelmed by destruction so suddenly and
awfully as was San Francisco. One minute its
inhabitants slept in seeming safety and security.
Another minute passed and the whole great city seemed
tumbling around them, while sights of terror met the
eyes of the awakened multitude and sounds of horror
came to their ears. The roar of destruction filled
the air as the solid crust of the earth lifted and
fell and the rocks rose and sank in billowing waves
like those of the open sea.

Not all, it is true, were asleep. There was the
corps of night workers, whose duties keep them abroad
till day dawns. There were those whose work calls
them from their homes in the early morn. People
of this kind were in the streets and saw the advent
of the reign of devastation in its full extent.
From the story of one of these, P. Barrett, an editor
on the Examiner, we select a thrilling account of his
experience on that morning of awe.